That night, Guo Songtao went to the palace of Xuanjun County in Wicker Hutong to listen to the advance.

When Guan and Guo were alone, the atmosphere was not quite the same as the optimistic and enthusiastic meeting of the Military Aircraft Department.

Guo Songtao's face was solemn, and he said: "The establishment of 'Jianghuai Salt Industry Company' is not only to reorganize the rivers and mountains, but also to be called 'opening the world'. ”

Guan Zhuofan glanced at Guo Songtao deeply and said, "Immortal Yun, I understand what you mean - but you don't have to worry too much about me. ”

After a pause, he said calmly: "In this big play, it's not us who really sings blackfaces. ”

Well?

Guan Zhuofan smiled slightly: "So, who sang blackface for us?" Hey, it's Tao Wenyi! ”

Guo Songtao's eyes jumped.

Guan Zhuofan sighed lightly and said: "We are going to abolish the 'Ticket Salt Law' now, on the table, we can't say anything good about Tao Wenyi, but if you don't understand the rights and wrongs of the 'Ticket Salt Law', and just talk about the bearing and responsibility of doing things, I sincerely admire Tao Wenyi!" ”

"Yunxian, think about it, how many people cut off the bad rules of income in the 'Gang Change' back then? How many people have ruined their families and businesses because of it? As the saying goes: 'Cutting off people's wealth is like killing people's parents.'" 'There are many people who are secretly gritting their teeth and wanting to eat meat and bed! Tao Wenyi was able to persevere and do this thing! I praise and sigh for Wen Yi! This courage really makes my generation look up to me! ”

Guo Songtao nodded silently.

"The 'Outline Salt Law' has been fragmented, but the 'Ticket Salt Law' has not been allowed to become a climate. The Rebellion of Hong Yang. Li Shizhong is good at it. And so it ensued. This hammer smashed down again and again, and the salt matter of the two Huai was completely falling apart. Now, Li Shizhong's remnants are no longer in trouble, as long as the Hunan army is invited out of the Lianghuai Salt Field, the situation we will take over is 'a blank piece of paper is easy to paint'. ”

Speaking of this, Guan Zhuofan smiled slightly: "To put it bluntly: we have picked up a big leak." ”

To this insight. Guo Songtao admired it very much in his heart, groaned slightly, and said: "Zeng Disheng is a person who takes care of the overall situation, rest assured, Songtao will live up to his mission on this trip!" ”

Guan Zhuofan nodded and said: "The Hunan army meddled in the Lianghuai Salt Farm, after all, the time is still shallow, and the involvement is not deep, so withdraw at this time." It won't hurt the muscles and bones, and Zeng Disheng won't be too embarrassed. ”

He hesitated slightly. said: "Xuanjun I, moving to Yangzhou, Zeng Disheng may be a little uncomfortable, but this is no way!" Not anyone's brain can figure things out, arrogant soldiers, all those who don't know the general trend, don't see the color, they don't know how to advance or retreat! Zhao Zhusheng led the troops over, and some people woke up, but there were fewer misunderstandings and less idleness! ”

Guo Songtao said: "Yes! ”

After a pause, he said, "If the prince wants to take care of Zeng Disheng's face, just say it...... Li Shizhong's remnants of the party are not very peaceful, and the Xuanjun Department moved to Yangzhou to keep an eye on this group of cows, ghosts, snakes, and gods. ”

Guan Zhuofan smiled and said: "Zeng Disheng knows the poor world, what do you not understand?" But it's okay, on the table, let's just say that! ”

sighed lightly and said, "'I'm afraid that Ji Sun's worries are not in the moment, but within the Xiao Wall. 'Yunxian, the salt matter of Lianghuai has just arrived: the real trouble is not in Lianghuai, but outside Lianghuai! ”

Oh?

"You see, after the establishment of the 'Jianghuai Salt Company', the place where the most strange words came out must not be the Lianghuai Salt District, but other salt areas -- including the Changlu Salt Area. Although there was a big mess in the Changlu salt area, Liu Zimo only worked hard to rectify it, mainly focusing on anti-smuggling, and in terms of system, it was still the 'Gang Salt Law', and there was no fundamental change. ”

Guo Songtao frowned slightly.

Guan Zhuofan continued: "Why did I say that the difficulty of the two Huai salt matters is outside the two Huai? The reason is very simple, for example, the 'Jianghuai Salt Company' sells salt, one 'leads' eight taels of silver, and other salt areas sell salt, and the other 'leads' twelve taels of silver -- hehe, the difference is so big, you call other salt areas, how can you be embarrassed? If someone asks, why is your salt so much more expensive than Lianghuai? How do you tell them to answer? ”

Guo Songtao's heart was shocked.

"Therefore, although the 'Jianghuai Salt Industry Company' only sells salt in the two Huai salt areas, and does not take a step beyond the thunder pool, but other salt areas have to jump!"

Guo Songtao was nervously thinking about "what to do", Guan Zhuofan was already "Gege" smiled and said: "It's okay to jump up - maybe jump and jump, and jump into the pit." ”

Guo Songtao really didn't understand this sentence, and said: "Songtao is stupid, please excuse the prince." ”

Guan Zhuofan said: "Yunxian, I don't know if you have noticed that Tao Wenyi's 'Outline to Change Votes' has not abolished the 'Outline', the 'Ticket Salt Law' and the 'Outline Salt Law' are actually parallel? On the bright side, it can be said that I just 'started from scratch', and I didn't move a finger of the 'Gang Salt Law'! However, how did the 'Gang Salt Law' win over the 'Vote Salt Law'? Before long, he threw away his armor and collapsed! ”

Hearing the words "start anew", Guo Songtao suddenly realized, this is the usual trick of King Xuanjun!

He pondered for a moment and said: "Our establishment of the 'Jianghuai Salt Company' is similar to Tao Wenyixing's 'Outline Change' -- compared with the 'Jianghuai Salt Company', all kinds of shortcomings in other salt areas have been exposed, and as the days go by, public opinion will definitely support the replacement of the 'Gang Salt Law' with the 'Salt Company'!" 'A soldier who surrenders without a fight, and a good man who is good'! ”

Guan Zhuofan smiled "haha" and said, "Yunxian, that's a good point!" Also, in other salt areas, no matter how many strange things there are, they have to be put under the stage and said, and there is no way to move them to the table - dumb people eat Coptis chinensis, and they can't say anything about their bitterness! ”

Guo Songtao thought about it for a while, and then understood the meaning of this sentence, nodded and said, "What the prince said is true!" If there is any reproach on the road, the affairs of the Lianghuai Salt District can only be handled by the officials of the Lianghuai nationality. However, the forces of the two Huai who supported the 'Gang Salt Law', when Tao Wenyi was in power, had fallen apart, plus what the prince just said, Hong Yang and Li Shizhong tossed again and again, and the people who 'ate the Gang Salt' became more and more weak, and now what kind of heart do they have to dare to be the song of the horse? ”

Guan Zhuofan cocked his thumb: "Yunxian, you said it very thoroughly!" ”

After a pause, he said: "So, although there are many difficulties and obstacles on this road, I will definitely reach it!" This meaning, please tell Zeng Disheng together. ”

He sighed: "Zeng Disheng is able to slander and complain, and I can't compare to him at this level." So, this time, I'm going to ask him to 'share the slander and resentment'!" ”

*

*

Baoding, Zhili Governor's Palace.

Zeng Guofan finished reading Guan Zhuofan's letter, closed his eyes for a moment, took off his reading glasses, and replaced them with myopia glasses.

He said slowly, "It's a long time." ”

Guo Songtao, who was sitting on the side, was slightly stunned, Zeng Guofan smiled faintly, and added: "Good article." ”

After a pause, the corners of his mouth pulled slightly to the sides, and he smiled again, but his voice was as dry as dry wood: "However, Yun Xian, King Xuan invited you to take this trip, I can't help but underestimate someone Zeng." ”

This time, Guo Songtao was stunned: What do you mean? Are you saying that my identity is not enough?

Zeng Guofan saw that his face was different, smiled, and said, "Where do you think of going?" I mean, if the prince really looks up to me, this letter has already been added to the two, why bother not to worry, and trouble another minister of military aircraft and an old friend of Zeng for many years, to take this trip? ”

"Yun Xian," he coughed lightly, "Zeng Guofan is the minister of the state, not the minister of Hunan!" ”

Guo Songtao understood what he meant, and couldn't help but feel a slight surge of blood, and just as he was about to speak, Zeng Guofan waved his hand lightly and said, "Yunxian, there is no need to say superfluous words." ”

After a deep sigh, he said, "I'll write a few letters to Jiang Ning—one is probably not enough." Also, if ...... Zhao Zhusheng didn't dislike it, I said to Huifu and asked him to go to Yangzhou to talk about Zhao Zhusheng's scene, and after the matter was done, he would come back to me. ”

Huifu is Zhao Liewen's word.

Guo Songtao is really moved!

Zhao Liewen was Zeng Guofan's most trusted and relied on staff member, and he had a very high prestige in the Hunan army -- that's all, the key is his special status, he can be regarded as Zeng Guofan's representative, and with him coming forward and coordinating in the middle, the errand of "asking the Hunan army to withdraw from the Lianghuai Salt Farm" will definitely be handled as quickly and peacefully as possible.

Zeng Guofan's "public loyalty to the country" is really not a word!

Guo Songtao suppressed his excitement, thought about it, and said, "Huifu's grade seems to be still a Zhizhou, right?" After this errand is completed, I want Zhao Zhusheng to give Huifu a secret guarantee - at least to protect Huifu a platform! ”

Zeng Guofan shook his hand again and again: "No, no!" Yunxian, you still don't know Huifu, he is obsessed with learning, and he has no official addiction at all! Keep him a higher grade, I also have this power, but I have been pushed by him several times! ”

Guo Songtao was stunned for a moment, and said with a sigh: "Huifu is really a national soldier!" ”

Zeng Guofan smiled and said, "With your words, it's enough!" ”

After a pause, he said: "The country is getting better and better - the country is getting better, more than anything else!" ”

"Nothing else," he shook his head slightly, "doesn't matter. ”

*(To be continued......) R1292